Systems using a file allocation table (FAT) which employs 16 bits for addressing clusters of data are known as “FAT16 file systems”. A FAT16 file system is limited to 2 Gbytes per partition. Storage devices with a capacity of more than 2 Gbytes, and with which a FAT16 file system is used, therefore tend to have multiple partitions, each with no more than 2 Gbytes of capacity.
The 2 Gbyte barrier of the FAT16 file system partition limit is imposed by the maximum number of clusters and the largest cluster size supported by the FAT16 file system. The FAT16 file system is limited to 65,525 clusters. The size of a cluster must be a power of 2, and be less than 65,536 bytes. This results in a maximum cluster size of 32,768 bytes (32 Kbytes). Multiplying the maximum number of clusters (65,525) by the maximum cluster size (32,768) equals 2 Gbytes.
In storage systems using multiple partitions, the first partition is typically referred to as the “primary partition.” Everything not stored in the primary partition is stored in an “extended partition.” A utility program, for example the “Fdisk” utility program, is used to create, delete or modify partitions on a storage system. The Fdisk utility program is a DOS utility used to configure and partition storage systems to prepare them for DOS use. The Fdisk utility software creates only one primary DOS partition (commonly referred to as “PRI DOS”) on a physical disc of a disc drive data storage system. Other utility programs can also be used to create, delete or modify partitions.
Consequently, digital cameras and other host devices must use a “FAT32” file system (i.e., a file allocation table which employs 32 bits for addressing clusters of data) in order to allow reading and writing of data above the 2 Gbyte limit on an associated data storage system or device. When a host device does not support multiple partitions for FAT16, it can only access the primary partition of its associated storage device. This in turn wastes the capacity of the storage device beyond the 2 Gbyte limit.
Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and/or other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.